It's almost over now
by Saiyura
Summary: Zoro has a secret and the crew doesn't realize it as they are focused on their sandcastle contest. Contains two of my OC's RR plz horror funny yaoi ZoLu ZoSan maybe more
1. Chapter 1

Ah, how songs inspire and sand captivates. Enjoy my story and yes, I hope you understand my gibberish well.

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Zoro looked around the empty ship where he confirmed no one was going to pop in to see his 'dirty' secret. A firm grin etched to his face as he walked down to the men's room and walked to his own area pulling out a CD case that only had one song inside it.

"It's about time." He walked over to the CD player that the men had, not as fancy as the girls, and placed the CD in one of the four slots before pushing it back inside before pressing play until a voice came on to greet him.

"Hey, Zoro, you know who this is." Shaking his head he began clearing out a small, but large enough, area before listening more after the gap of time was enough. "I found this song, hope you agree with me, and I thought you might like to give it a try… the finals are in one month." The voice clicked off with the person laughing at something he knew would be a few hours of interesting... depends on if he found the perfect rhythm the first time..., if his crew didn't come back, alone time.

The music, when it came on, had a beat that instantly grabbed him making his grin grow allowing his teeth to show. His head swayed in a bobbing motion before he pulled Wado out of his Haramaki, keeping it in its sheath, and he twirled it around his hand twice before slamming it onto the ground his head dropping at the exact time before his shoulders raised, right arm pointing to the ceiling, before he swung it around, nipping his ear slightly, and he used the momentum to twist his body around swinging wado in a arc around his form before twirling the white sword around his waist until tossing it slightly out in front of him while his left hand pulled out Shusui holding it out in front of him with Wado to his side.

The grin only grew murderous with his eyes still closed. His left foot tapped to the beat and he breathed deeply before twisting his waist, dropping slightly into a crouch, and he bent his back forward before he let the air out.

Snapping his eyes opened his vaulted sideways into the air spinning before landing with his left leg far into a split like position while his right left was almost making it look as if he was kneeling, awkwardly, while wado and his fist was on the ground while Shuusui was in the air. His head bobbed as he slowly pushed himself up his arms slowly becoming parallel before wado was tossed to the side, before he flipped his body at it gripping it in his hand.

The music grew to the climax, Zoro believed, before his free hand dropped to his last sword his feet tapping, shoulders moving, and hips swaying to any who saw it they would assume it was beautifully fight with spectacular detail to dancing.

The swords clinked as they were brought out of their sheaths before he danced to a deadlier beat with his limbs purposefully touching the sharp edge almost lovingly with not even a cut to the material his pants were made of.

He did a full frontal flip before falling onto his back into a near arc, his arms and swords decreasing the impact, before he jumped up spinning in the air and he felt his legs make contact with the ground, all three swords in the final position of his onigiri before he exhaled a breath.

The music began to end as he spun on his heel and sheathed all three swords before ending in the same position he started at only difference was the sweat that dripped off his chin and covered his shirt.

"Forgot I even had it on." He stood before quickly extracting the music CD and placing it back into its case and away from any peeping eyes, especially the cook's, before snagging fresh clothing and he was off to the showers. Who knew when his crew would come back and if Luffy had been able to 'force' the cook into some type of beach party.

-It's almost over now-

Sanji was the first to notice that Zoro didn't greet them or wasn't taking a nap. He glanced around the deck of the thousand sunny while the others beamed with the great, and forced upon, celebration of earning some money for a month long competition.

The island, a happy village of a summer island, called Sukioka Island was doing their annual sand castle contest. So the crew decided to join, even more when they learned the money prize and other 'assorted' goods they would get, when they joined, on Luffy's demand, and now they came home with a small, by Luffy's standards, amount of food for the party on the beach where Nami would give out orders on who was going to do what.

The farther he explored the ship for Zoro the more he noticed a different vibe from the ship then the usual tense from Zoro's training. He turned down the area where the bathroom was running before hearing the water running for the shower. He laughed realizing that the swordsman must have had some fun working out.

He chuckled before going back to where the crew was to inform them that it would be a while before the stupid muscle bound idiot came up to find the crew back on board.

-It's almost over now-

Zoro walked out to meet everybody while continuing to dry his hair off, even though it was short, before placing the towel on his shoulders a scowl on his face when he spotted all the happy grins and the witch's beli eyes.

"What happened?" he really didn't want to know at that moment so his mind began to wonder when Usopp began to speak and spout his normal hilarious stories to what he would be doing tomorrow. He'd get up early to leave the ship and get to 'that' place around noon; he'd easily be able to get there without getting lost due to the arrows he spotted from some stupid and silly contest.

"We signed up for the sand castle contest!" Luffy screamed slamming into Zoro's chest nuzzling his cheek into Zoro's bare chest. "We all want the prizes." Zoro's eyes bugged out of his head as he spotted the crinkled paper in Luffy's hand and he pulled it free, not as much fuzz due to Luffy sniffing his chest as if he were dog, not common but in this situation Zoro would pass this freaky moment as a good case of luck… maybe…

"Shit!" the contest was the same time 'it' was supposed to happen. "I won't be able to participate." Zoro felt the tension and curiosity rise instantly from his words. "I'm planning on an all day training season ." he stated, it wasn't and exact lie, and he looked down to see the disappointed look on his captain's face. "WHAT! I'm not missing any training because of playing in sand!"

"ZORO!" Nami called out in a sickly sweet voice while the air was full of the sound of buzzing. "I might lower your debt if we win." Zoro stepped back by the demonic feeling emitting off of her.

He had no choice, one glance at all the members told him, when the members of the strawhat crew wanted to do something.

"Fine." He surrendered before Luffy assaulted his stomach again. "STOP THAT!" he hissed.

"Zoro smells funny though." Zoro blinked raising his arm to his nose and sniffing… he cursed, he did smell funny and it was 'that persons' fault.

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Please forgive spelling and Grammar.


	2. Chapter 2

Ah, how songs inspire and sand captivates. Enjoy my story and yes, I hope you understand my gibberish well.

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The night had passed by quickly with the crew parting until they dropped, all but Zoro. He waited until a decent hour, 2 in the morning, before heading onto the ship and going to bed with a slight twisted smile on his face as the village had a song being played that seemed to dim the atmosphere. It was a perfect call, this song, that told every person of what was happening and that tonight no one should be out not even pirates, but many (not the straw crew) knew this song as a pre warning.

"You're in a foul mood," Zoro looked out the window to the town spotting a single light on the mountain. "What are you up to?" he sighed before falling onto his bed and quickly was out with each muscle tensing slightly in ecstasy over tomorrow.

-Room of Angles-

He woke up to the same music before turning to look at the cook staring up at the ceiling with a frown before his eye, only visible at an angle, spotting Zoro's own dark gaze upon him. Sanji's brow went down a notch spotting the tense gaze Zoro had etched into his sight.

"What's wrong?" the cook skipped any of the usual glamour of words as he and Zoro rose from their beds.

"Nothing," Zoro yawned out ignoring the music as he quickly got dressed. "Go back to sleep Sanji, it's too early for you to make breakfast." Sanji's brow rose slightly before he got up to follow Zoro's example.

"Nah, I'm up, I don't think I could sleep with that music on." Zoro seemed to laugh at that as he looked at the crew and knew Robin and Nami would be up also for that music.

"It won't hurt you." His gaze drifted to the cooks before they shivered stepping back from the stern gaze. "I'll be back by tonight, don't get into any trouble." Zoro stated placing all three precious swords into his haramaki slot and walking out the door, also hearing Sanji's bare feet coming quickly upon his own boot clad ones, before the hand spun him around to face the chain smoking blond.

"Oi, what the hell is your attitude?" Sanji, Zoro admitted with an outwards sigh, was a stubborn bastard.

"My attitude is from the fact I'm being forced to participate in a sand castle contest and I can't do any of my training." He made to turn on his heel as the end of the song came until a chill shot up his spine while Sanji jumped paling deeply when a blood curling scream erupted with sounds of drums and static.

Yeah, he needed to leave now.

"I'll see you later." He left the cook frozen to the spot as he stalked up the stairs not showing the blood curling smile before he vanished into the village that had the fog coming in for the morning.

-Room of Angles-

The song was played again as the crew all assembled on the shore where more of the citizens were. They were pale but they didn't seem far too deterred from doing what they needed to that day. The crew though seemed to be jumping slightly whenever the drums would sound and some of the villages would fall with a slight paling chuckle.

"Hey," Sanji stopped a man passing them before realizing more people were coming down to the beach. "What's up with that song and why is everyone rushing down to the beach?" the man looked at them all and he gave a full blown laugh.

"That song is called the 'Room of Angles' and it is said that when it plays that they are on the island."

"Who are they?" Robin perked up walking forward a little now.

"I don't know, but… last night a message was sent to the contest leaders that 'they' were going to do a performance for all of us… everyone is just a little shaken up." The man, his brown hair fell in front of his eyes. He began to cry a little before looking at them all again, "Two teens were killed last night because they were out while the music was playing… my own son…" Sanji let go of his grip as the man stalked off before a speaker was heard calling every ones attention.

"As you've all noticed the devil's children have come to our island, we received a note from them but… they said nothing other than 'have your party, we'll not disturb you'. So, for the rest of the day we'll be having a contest for collecting seashells for the sandcastles. I would like everyone to be on the bleachers if they are not participating or those who are to be in the designated areas, where you have submitted a flag for, and we'll have one member search for the shells."

The strawhats nodded heading off to their pirate flag designed area before pointing to Robin, who didn't actually volunteer.

"This is where her devil fruit ability will come in great hand." Nami said excited before Robin gave a small chuckle.

"of course Navigator san." And the crew was off with the first part of the contest brought a few days earlier by the arrival of the devils children.

-Room of Angles-

Zoro made it up the hill with less problems then he would have assumed before spotting a woman around his age looking down at the beach with a smile that fit his captains. Her hair was growing a deep light brown from the dyed black with the white stripes still littering the hair. Her skin, a olive before, was pale and sickly but he knew that it probably was from the fact that this island was a garlic growing farm village.

"Maybe you shouldn't be here, you don't look good." His worry was replaced by a grin when her thing but a little larger then normal shouldes shrugged and she turned to face him with her bright blue eyes. He blinked back thinking of Sanji, man he was missing that shit cook already, and he walked forward messing up her hair.

"It's about time, I haven't seen you in over two years, Zo kun." Her voice was from the tap. "Did you like the music?"

He didn't respond as he allowed his smile too.

"Stop flirting with my wife bastard!" a sharp kick to Zoro's back made him buckle out with laughter, the kick wasn't as strong as Sanji's yet it backed that numbing chill he missed. "You stroll over to our new day and flirt! Horri-."

"I like someone else, Sam, don't worry." Zoro turned to rest his back onto a rock, the slight heat bringing back sensations, and he eyed the long blond curly hair tied into a high pony tail that still was too big. "You hoping to be a tranny?" he barely dodged this attack as the rock he was on cracked by Sam's heel.

"HELL NO!"

"I support long hair!" the girl, Jen, shouted out at the random times that caused them both to drop to their knees laughing.

"That… was a mood killer." Jen nodded before looking back down to the crowd on the beach.

"I don't care." She stated before pulling out her own three swords each a different style. "But we need to practice before time catches up to us."

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Please forgive spelling and Grammar.


	3. Chapter 3

**It's almost over now**

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The straw hat pirates laughed as Sanji cooked up lunch for them in his kitchen. Robin had grabbed a few fine pieces of shells and had made the design that Franky and Usopp were working on to be even more grand then they had first hoped, or thought, it would be. They had also stored the shells down below so that Usopp could polish them when they were needed, though the marksman was not as thrilled about that as he was.

"The next challenge they have for us is…" Nami read the list a bit and grinned. "The jungle hunt." Scouting around the faces she locked onto Chopper. "It explains here that we are allowed to use anything we can collect from the island's jungle, I believe Chopper and…" looking once more around the crew she frowned. "Brook, why don't you give it a shot." The bone man nodded as he started chuckling out 'yohohoho' before they all dug into the food Sanji placed in front of them.

"Anything else on that list that we should plan on ahead of time?" Sanji and the rest of the crew turned to look at Franky as he spoke while he ate with less gusto then usual. "It would be better to plan out who to use now then making a mistake and not using them when it calls for…"

"You're right; the rules only state we can use one member once." Looking around the team again Nami sighed placing the paper down and looking over the next few weeks designated.

"Tomorrow is the jungle hunt." She wrote down the nine names of her nakama at the side of the paper and she scribbled of Robins'. "Chopper you are going to do the jungle hunt. The next mini contest is… the maps: where you must devices a sketch of your castle and place it with your crews seal in the area where you are building your castle. During two days a member of your party must protect that plan from another member of a different party. All the while your party will have one member to try and snatch other scrolls." Nami looked up and grinned with one of her many twisted smiles as if she knew she had already won this round.

"Eh? Is everything alright Nami?" Sanji asked while he began to clean up his kitchen, though he swore something was off, and he watched the beli signs light up like fire.

"Franky, you are going to protect our 'map'. Sanji, you will be the one to get the other persons." She looked down and grinned. "For each map we steal we get that persons area. This is perfect for us pirates." The crew nodded with their own smiles. This was going to be like taking candy from a baby.

He cursed as he was lost once again, why was it so difficult to stay on the right track, in the small village on this island. Jen and Sam had gone to talk to the other four who had come, their group usually consisted of twelve but some were in pirate crews with well known bounties now, and he sighed before blinking back the yawning tears that grew in his eyes.

"How the hell did I end up in the forest?" he looked around at bit before sighing, again, and he trudged forward with a little less conviction to actually caring where he went. This is why he told the cook he would be gone for the whole day, Jen nor Sam could walk out into the open like he could nor could they point him in the right direction due to his SENSE of direction.

"You know," Zoro paused hearing that voice of a very familiar person. "I'm astounded you're still alive." The grin on his face grew as he walked forward and there in front of him was Portgas D. Ace.

"Yeah, I'm just surprised you showed your sleepy ass head, Ace." He looked around, in hopes they were alone, before Ace chuckled motioning him to sit.

"I'm alone, I can't exactly skip my duties just like you, now can I." Ace seemed to relax a bit before taking a deep breath and his smile faltered a bit. "I heard Luffy and you guys were involved in the contest this island has every year or so… will that conflict with the schedule?"

The fact that Ace was hear, Zoro slowly decided to think, was because the Marines were having a problem with something. Maybe the lack of those bastards… though… "He came also, didn't he." His face drooped as he thought of this horrible fact.

"Yeah, the four that came were the no bounties, the others are moving tonight." The two nodded for a few minutes before they heard what sounded like Luffy and Sanji screaming up a storm. A grin spread out on their faces as they stood and left to the ship, Zoro following Ace.

Sanji raised his fist to his head as Luffy finished the last of his cake that he spent hours working on for the girls. They had barely finished breakfast at the moment before Luffy had stretched his hand out and swallowed the cake whole.

That had caused the major fight but it grew when the door opened and Sanji's kick, missing Luffy who dodged at the last second, hit square in Zoro's chin sending him falling to the floor. The whole room went silent, shocked was Sanji, when Zoro stayed flat on his back blood dripping down his chin from his mouth.

"Oi, Zoro?" Sanji gulped out when the big lug still didn't move.

"Well, that was unexpected." Every head snapped up to look at Ace looking down on Zoro's face. "I told him to knock, seems like he didn't."

Luffy sprinted forward hugging his brother before laughing, "Zoro's fine." Ace, who quickly dropped to the ground at how 'believing' Luffy was when the green first mate still had not moved… but… there was a slow growing pool of blood.

That might not be good for either of them later on this week… considering what was happening, it was often that the red messages were sent.

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	4. Chapter 4

**It's almost over now**

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Zoro had woken up the next day around noon while the crew was furiously working on a few plans. He had at first been confused at how he had even wounded up on the kitchen tablet with his head wrapped in bandages, but he soon realized that… one, Ace was no longer here and two, it was the afternoon.

They were going to be pissed since he missed the group meeting with the other card holders.

"What the hell happened?" he asked slowly shifting onto his side for an easier push into a sitting position only for chopper and Sanji to roll him back onto his back. "OI!" he felt nausea rush over him before he calmed down a bit; wow, what HAPPENED!

"Oi, you need to take it easy." Sanji was the first to speak before moving to the sink and filling up some water to allow Chopper to finish.

"Sanji kicked you and it hit far closer to your temple then I would have liked, but you've been out of it since last night… how do you feel?" Chopper looked concern before Zoro blinked back several times.

"Wait… Sanji knocked me out?"

"Yeah, shitty Marimo, I knocked you out."

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!"

Everyone pointed to Luffy but Zoro and Luffy himself who laughed nervously.

"Dang captain." Zoro complained before going back to lying down to fall asleep, no reason to complain about missing Ace would surely explain to the others… who would give him hell about it.

It went silent as Sanji walked back over and held the glass for Zoro to see, it was at that moment Zoro knew he was thirsty, and he slowly shifted again to sit up… Chopper and Sanji again stopped that movement.

"OI!" he called out angrily. "I'm trying to drink here!" Sanji gave a low amused chuckle before gently his hand was behind Zoro's head holding it up so the swordsman could drink.

"Doctor's orders." He smugly announced to the disheveled swordsman while he blushed at this treatment.

Slowly Chopper allowed Zoro to test his legs and arms before another hour had passed, Zoro being fed like a new born by Sanji who kept his smug face on at all times, before the poor swordsman could even stand up. The only reason why Chopper was allowing this at such a fast 'healing' was because Chopper knew he wouldn't keep the swordsman down for long… Better to make sure the thick head was still alright before moving on.

The day light feigned into more of a slight night creeping upon the island while music was blearing out from those 'people', the crew took note to stay inside this time, and it was at this time Zoro realized that: 1) his captain, Nami, and Usopp were gone since he had last saw them that morning.

"Oi, where's the crew?" he asked while pushing down any fear of more chaos being created by the riley bunch of pirates.

"They're finishing up a mini contest, stupid." Sanji stated as he put the last touches to the meal before gently placing it inside the oven. "You have to take part in one of them; Nami san told me to tell you." Sanji glanced at the swordsman sitting with a glass of water by his twitching hand, the music would change into that song soon and the event was almost over.

"Interesting song." Zoro pointed out making Sanji nod. Zoro knew this music, they gave it to him once before he joined the crew while he was part of the group in East Blue. The group was saying only one thing: Get your ass back in shape or we'll find and gut you.

Yep, Ace told them, and he was screwed.

*The bird and the worm*

Zoro couldn't sleep even after the group had come back from the scurry in the forest with the plentiful… if not painful by the bandages that had to be applied to the three… ingredients. A walk through the forest was… painful.

How the hell did that happen! He shouted in his head while shaking it on the outside for the rest to see.

Yet when the answer came he had been slightly surprised. The group he was in did this, the cards did this, and now… now the contest was being cut short due to how many people quit after seeing the body of one of the late night people 'strolling' around and … Well, he deserved it, didn't he, trying to steal other people admission into the game.

He patted his haramaki, Nami had given him the 'document' to their entry after this, and he couldn't help but give a low chuckle. Around this time Zoro's eyes began to shut for sleep but he didn't get far into it as he felt something slightly burn his hand.

"What do you want, Ace."

"Time for the late night." Ace's reply didn't make any sense but Zoro didn't really try to get anymore out of him as he easily slipped out of the hammock and put on his boot walking out with Ace.

"How close?" Zoro asked as he was ready to close the door.

"Three others, one happened today, but we still have too many."

"I see." The door closed as the blue eyes opened a few minutes later with a confused frown.

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	5. Chapter 5

**It's almost over now**

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The crew had woken up after Nami had came down, Sanji was already up cooking, to complain how they cancelled half of the mini contest due to how many of the other groups had left last night… and to also state that three more people had been attack from the contest.

"They said in this next week the contest will be ending… THEY GAVE US TWO DAYS TO FINISH THE CASTLE!" in previous reports there was a whole week dedicated to creating the castles; this ruined most of Nami's plans as Franky and Usopp looked at each other.

"So we have to make that plan in two days… it's due able." They both stated together before walking over taking the paper out of the navigator's hands to read over the new rules. They talked to each other and paused.

Franky looked up and frowned, "What won't stop those guys from destroying the castles during the night?" these made everyone realize the dilemma.

Sanji walked in, he had yet to clean the table and decided to make a easy to eat breakfast, "We'll just have to watch ours at night, those bastards won't be able to harm us too much." He had not yet found it in his heart, or enough evidence other than a CD addressed to Zoro, to tell them what happened or where the swordsman was… now that he thought of it wasn't it strange that all of them never really took much stock in how Zoro usually left them on new islands?

It happened often; guess there was something Zoro hid from them all.

*Mama*

Jen stared at Sam and Zoro before grinning at the other four people in front of her.

"I know it is hard to accept this, but… the elders of our cards have decided that we need to kick up a stir." Jen pulled out four masks. "Each one is different and I've already contacted the mayor of this city; it's all set."

The others, six, looked nervous at the glint in Jen's eyes, "We've got a performance." She picked up two swords throwing them to Zoro. "No three, sorry." She then went around looking them all up and down while handing them a picture of their target.

"WAIT!" Zoro announced looking up at Jen and Sam who was wondering a little behind her reading deeply. "Our target is one of the Members of the contest?" Jen nodded. "Part of my crew?" again Jen nodded. "I'm not in." A grin spread on Sam's face before he fixed his gaze on Zoro's face.

"It's too late to back down, Zoro, you know that just like everyone who got their card; we are eternal, any attempts to disobey is… deadly." Zoro shifted at the grin Sam shown. "But it isn't the usual call, we are just … testing… for now. When we reach the end this week we'll be in contact." Zoro nodded as Sam looked back at the paper.

"Besides I'm in no mood for a massacre today, but if you keep on arguing with me I might just be in one." Jen began laughing at Sam as she nodded putting in also that this mission was a 'practical' prank category.

*Mama*

He stared at his crew, since he had returned home, and listened to Nami as she stated the new rules of the game. The contest, since the days had passed since the 'problems', and now it was the arrival of the day, tomorrow morning which was feeling a little uneasy about.

Who out of his crew was being chosen? Why? What was it that… WHY his crew? He looked at each of them in turn to thing of their strengths that the cards would want, yes he chuckled, he was a card… not that silly name the outside world knew this organization from; devil's children, was it their fault they slaughtered like devils? Yes, yes it was.

First there was his captain. No, they wouldn't be able to get him to kill or had a reason for a naïve child like him, he knew a few of their standards.

Second was Nami; though he considered her a female devil she wouldn't get paid, but blackmailed into it… she wouldn't stand for it… they wouldn't take the risk.

Third was Usopp… instant no, coward… but… his sharp shooting would be perfect for the jobs they sometimes received.

Sanji… to much of a ladies man.

Chopper… he's a doctor, he wouldn't be able to kill.

Robin: They'd do it, but they wouldn't like how infamous she is in the underworld… dang, why do we have marines in the cards?

Franky: HELL NO, the cyborg wouldn't be able to wear pants for the missions they gave!

Brook: He's bones, too noticeable.

Anything else? Nope…

"Who the hell is it?" he cursed under his breath.

*Mama*

Jen laughed as she looked at the mask that she had not shown to any of the others that sat in Sam's hands, "Kill him." She looked back at the man with a grim smile. "Orders from above, he isn't allowed to live past this contest if we accept another member."

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	6. Chapter 6

**It's almost over now**

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Ace sighed as he finished the waking up and dressing in the black lose coat while he continued to sigh. This was just not right, he turned to look back at Zoro dressed in a similar fashion, for this man to be here and not with his crew when they, he and everyone knew it well, would need his help. What were Jen and Sam thinking? What were the elders thinking?

*Aquarius*

The contest was going over smoothly, their castle, being as beautiful as it was, was being noticed by the judges more and more. What do you expect with two sculptures and artist. Even Brook brought out some of the beautiful shells and island ferns to life around the castle.

"We only have half an hour before the contest is over." Nami shifted as she looked at the castle throwing in a thought to some of the people working on it while Robin and Chopper stood at ready, three sandcastles had been destroyed by other parties and they didn't want it to happen to them, and now… now Zoro was nowhere to be seen!

The crew had been startled when Zoro just wondered off that morning without a word, Ace had left the island she had believed because he told Luffy that, and now… they were a man short on guard duty.

*Prayer of the refugee*

The crowd of people screaming was the first news that something was wrong to everyone, the judges had ran leaving the sand castle contest in order to save their own lives. The straw hat crew blinked standing up to look at the four covered faces before slowly music began to play.

The music was slow at first, the four walking were in black, and the music stated something about 'welcome to the black parade'. Their masks considered of four different colors: Green, white, red, and blue.

The strawhat crew didn't move as the four people looked around, their different weapons still in their holster, before they busted out laughing. The mass crowd stopped as a fifth member appeared in front of them, his mask was black.

"Hello," he spoke with a smile. "I am afraid to say 'Your judges ran off'." Again they all laughed before they went silent again at the twitch of the black masked hand. "For that we are terribly sorry, but we just wanted to come down and say 'Our routine is starting, please move towards the waters for safety all who are NOT members of the Straw hat pirates'." The crowd screamed a bit before chaos reigned while they dived into the water.

"GOOD." The green masked one walked forward before looking down at the black. "I need you to hand this to them, terms and all, oh, Red, please check over all the castles, I judge that you will give them the score they need?" The red masked one nodded before walking towards the sandcastles still alive.

Green walked forward the scroll in his hands before stretching it to Nami when he came closer, "Read quickly." Sanji scowled as the green masked turned slightly to look at their castle as if judging it himself. "You guys did a good job, nice detail."

Franky and Usopp's chest swelled at these words until the man jumped backwards when Nami's clima pole met the ground he stood on her eyes were shadowed as she spoke, "No… no…. I won't allow any of that!" she yelled before looking up with tears in her eyes. "You're lying."

"No, what is written is the truth."

"YOU'RE LYING!" she yelled swinging her clima for another hit. "Zoro is one of our strongest, he wouldn't be at your-."

"He isn't lying," the blue stated gripping the pole, his coat slightly showed the two swords at his waist. "I know for a fact he isn't lying about what that says." Nami paled as she began to cry.

"Congadulation, Straw hat crew, you've won the sandcastle contest… your prize is this bag of beli and a member of your crew is offered a card…" they felt the killing aura surrounding him as he leaned forward. "If we don't kill you … if we meet again." Blue and Green slowly began to walk away before stopping to look at White who kept looking at the crew. They spoke something before they all left but black.

"Sanji, give this to Zoro, have him tell you all the meaning of this… he'll understand." Black turned around and left also.

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	7. Chapter 7: part 1

**It's almost over now**

**part one  
**

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As Zoro, escorted to the ship by Ace who fled with tears in his eyes, walked up the plank he knew he was going to be in a grave right after they start asking questions. A look at the card, given to him by Jen and Sam who smiled at him with not an ounce of pitty… what! Did they really… yeah, don't answer that, Zoro, they would try to kill you like this.

"I'm back." He shifted to look out at the beach trying to not feel the thousands of stares littering his body by his crew.

"Zoro," Luffy's voice was the first he heard. "Where were you today?" Zoro gulped before he allowed the cool breeze of the ocean to calm him down.

"I was-."

"ZORO!" Luffy caused a flinch from Zoro's features before they both stared at each other. "Where were you today?"

"You don't have permission to ask." Zoro's tone became flat as his eyes titled. "I can't answer without a show of proof." The crew, Zoro looked, were stressed. He sighed as he wondered off passing the cook slightly before he felt a heel to his back.

"Don't walk away from us, shitty Marimo." Zoro hissed as he turned on the ground to look at Sanji who tossed the CD to him. "What is that!" Zoro relaxed visibly again seeing the CD and the red card strapped inside with the elders symbol.

Those bastards, what were their aims at him telling his whole crew?

"The sandcastle contest was run by three Elders, am I right Nami?" Nami coughed out a yes not understanding why he asked. "Those three are part of five reagions belonging to the grand line. They create these stupid contest to attract 'potential' cards… at least anyone who signs up just signed either their death or a recruite paper." The crew looked around paling slightly.

"Is that why… those participating were being…"

"We kill those who do not meet requirements, Chopper." Zoro looked at each of the crew in turn. "Out of every party only one is chosen: grats, you won the contest." The crew stepped back a bit before they looked at each other before back at Zoro.

"And what if… no one is chosen?"

"We slaughter the island and all participating." Zoro stood up slowly after finishing this. "Though how far the cards go up outside of West blue, I'm not sure." He dusted off his pants. "I guess I should play this for you all now, huh." The crew shivered at the different attitude Zoro was showing, it just didn't seem real anymore.

The music, after Franky pulled up the one onto the deck, wasn't played at first except for a female voice who made Zoro give a dry laugh.

"Hello, Zoro's crew mates, it is a pleasure to tell you that all of you have made it… after the dragon dance." Zoro froze as he looked at the Stereo until he rose, almost as if on strings, before the voice continued. "The rules of this game are: You can't die, you have to fight someone who you trust with your own lives, and have fun trying to kill him while surviving." The crew turned sharply to look at Zoro as he breathed deeply obviously conflicted.

"By the way, only one of you is allowed to get a black card. Zoro, please begin." The crew couldn't take their eyes off of Zoro's pained face as he pulled out two of his swords before his stance changed from the ones he usually was in.

"You bastard, Jen." Zoro looked at the crew, his eyes spotting Sam in his mask nodding at him, before the music began to play.

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	8. Chapter 7: part 2

**It's almost over now**

**part two  
**

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The music, Zoro chuckled as he raised his swords into an X patter across his chest. His head lolled to the side as the music kept on playing before he stepped forward turning slightly on his heel before extending on sword out before turning the opposite way sharply and swinging both hands outwards the air slicing around them.

The crew, dodging, looked at Zoro with shocked faces before getting up watching him more as he dropped down into a crouch before switching his swords to look like prey mantis now before he jumped up arching his back while bringing both hands behind him before swinging down causing more of the air to turn into blades.

The crew dodged again before turning to look at their first mate, none wanting to fight, before Luffy stepped forward raising his fist to point at Zoro, "What are you doing!" he shouted with every ounce of anger. "We're your nakama!"

"ZORO!" the crew paused as Zoro shifted in his stance, widening it, before pulling both blade to his right while his gaze was fixed on something else. "ZORO!" he didn't respond to his name as he charged forward, arms still at the angle, before he twisted his hips slicing the air in a tornado fashion sending it their way as he stopped with his swords pointing at them.

Luffy, barely dodging, felt the wind as it whipped him into the mast. The other crew, Nami and Robin, rolled along the grass before stopping. Sanji, protecting Usopp, growled when Zoro still didn't respond.

"OI! Don't you dare damage the Sunny go!" Franky hollered holding Chopper in his arms because the reindeer almost flew into the ocean.

"You shouldn't have shown me the card then." Zoro's voice was tight as he breathed in raggedly. "Any member of the cards have to follow orders when a higher personal has-." The music was hard to follow, but it was one he knew by heart, and he lunged at Sanji.

The cook didn't dodge as he realize Usopp was frozen in fear, tears streaming down the long nosed face, before he kicked upwards… only… his foot didn't hit anything before the back edge of the sword slammed into his chest.

"Zoro…" Sanji coughed out feeling a few of his bones break from the impact. "What …" the edge of the sword stopped any more words being spoke as it came to rest on the side of his neck for a killing blow.

Zoro didn't speak a he pulled upwards allowing the blade to slice through Zoro's neck before he turned to the next person who he knew would fit the sequence he would dance.

"SANJI!" Luffy began to rush over, along with the rest of the crew, before laughing was heard high above them.

"I can't believe you actually did it!" Zoro glared up at Sam before back at him crew as the music died to an end. "You killed one! An actual Nakama!" Sam dropped down next to Zoro as he shifted to stand over Sanji's body. "Oh, and its real blood too… hehe he won't live long now will-."

The sword swung around nicking Sam's cheek but he had jumped back before his head rolled.

"Don't talk about my crew like that." Sam frowned before turning to face the music.

"Ah, the music stopped, but another song should be coming on soon, hm, wonder what part of the dance it could-." Again Sam dodged another strike. "YOU ARE STILL UNDER ORDERS!"

"Song's not playing, is it." Zoro looked at his crew hoping with no end that they were getting the meaning of this leading conversation, one glance at Nami he knew for a fact now that they knew. "I think my crew just figured it out, eh, Sam?"

The figure stopped before going stiff, "You are never allowed to speak my name while under orders." The raising on Sam's hand caused the island to blare music out that stopped the crew who looked around franticly. Zoro's eyes grew wide.

"You… you son of a-." Zoro turned to face his crew tears pooling around his emerald orbs. "Run." He said before he charged at his crew under orders of the music and card.

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	9. Chapter 7: part 3

**It's almost over now**

**part three  
**

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The crew, or what remained, had managed to get off the ship and onto the island where many of the citizens had fled when the music had turned on. Soon the crew realized why as they neared the center of town where dozen of bodies were littering the ground, all whom lived here.

"Congratulations, Straw hat crew." A woman came out from the pile covered in blood. "You won our contemplary prize for the sandcastle contest: a village full of blood and death." Luffy, still blinking with tears, turned to look around taking in his crew also. Brook, Usopp, Robin, and Chopper were all that had not been killed by Zoro on the ship.

"Why are you doing this?" Luffy asked.

"Simple, we were told to gather a new recruit, your team won, so we slaughter you all until one survives." The woman turned as Zoro and Sam stepped out of the shadows each having some form of blood trailing over them. "You know, you could have avoided killing the innocent village, straw hats," she aimed this glare at Zoro. "If you had only heeded the warning like all those before you… oh wait, they did the exact same-." Luffy shot out his hand only to have it faze through her.

"What the-." Chopper looked around before he smelt Zoro near them. "Look out Zoro-." Chopper didn't finish as the sword was rammed through his stomach.

"Oh dear, the pet died." The woman laughed as she looked at the four still alive. "Can you survive or will Zoro wipe you all out? Play my game or… die."

Jen and Sam watched Zoro drag his crew farther in before they turned to look where they had come, "Will this work, Sam?" she asked while spotting those brought by the call working on the ship. "Will this make him step over the edge?" Jen slowly began to cry as she looked at the ground and blood. "I hate those bastards… I hate them!" Sam wrapped his arms around her as he moved to one of the safe houses.

"Jen, just remember, Zoro's a lot different than we are… I got a look at the wound… it isn't that deep."

Ace stared down at Sanji's body as the blood had been stopped and the wound bandaged. He turned to look out to see the three old men staring at him before speaking, "Are you sure Roronoa san will do as we believe?"

"Yes," Ace picked up Sanji before caring him to the men's room the men in tow. "He's trustworthy." They nodded before murmuring to each other.

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	10. Chapter 8

**It's almost over now**

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The fight had escalated when more of the crew fell to Zoro's blade until only Usopp and Luffy were left alive. They both still conflicted about attacking their own nakama even though they still shot off a few attacks to run farther.

"Zoro!" Luffy cried out while he fell down after they had came all the way to the beach after taking a few wrong turns. "Stop… please!" Zoro still stood above Luffy as the boy was a crying mess.

"I'm sorry, captain." Zoro raised his sword before striking down his captain in the chest before pulling the blade back as blood coughed up out of Luffy's mouth. Zoro watched as he had the others for a few minutes memorizing his own crew's last breaths before walking away and over to Usopp as the other cried out for Luffy and his crew before turning to Zoro.

"You're our friend! Why are you doing this!" Usopp begged dropping his weapon. "WHY!"

"Because you gave me the card." Zoro's voice was cracking up a bit before he dropped all of his swords. "You gave the command, the crew decided it was important… they… they gave me the card…" Usopp watched as Zoro dropped to his knees now crying fully. "I… I'm sorry…"

"KILL ME!" Usopp blinked back. "Please… Usopp." Neither of the last two straw hats blinked before Usopp motioned with his head 'no'. They both continued to stare at each other before two familiar figures walked forward. Both looked over the scene before one ordered the other to check on Luffy.

"You did an excellent job, Roronoa san." This one had a white mask on. "Why didn't you kill this one and leave one who is stronger?"

"You know the damn reason." Zoro stated while his voice broke at times. "I can't just… I'm not answering…" Zoro still looked down before he slowly stood up and began to leave them all. "Just take him to the elders, I'm going to sleep." The white one nodded before watching Zoro leave before turning to the other masked one. "How is it?" a sigh escaped this one's mask as he looked up with red.

"He's alive, but this wound is the worst out of all of them." Usopp blinked before smiling, Zoro didn't kill his crew. "This only means that the mission was a failure, send a team for clean up at the base camp, those bastards are dead by now." Usopp again blinked in mid silent cheer as he frowned, what did they mean by that?

"Why can't any of them just do what we want?" the red faced one stood up holding Luffy in his arms after patching him up a bit.

"You know how it is, idiot, once you join you have to follow orders… doesn't help Zoro's situation either."

"What are you two talking about?" Usopp growled out standing up on shaky legs. They turned to look at him before motioning their hands to follow.

"We're talking about trying to give him a way out, it only happens on the grand line, Usopp, and it never works… but… I never have seen someone attack their friends killing points only to make it look deadly when it isn't… I mean their all alive…" 'Usopp followed a bit behind until he began to think of something else.

"What will happen to Zoro?"

"He'll be killed unless he does his job." The white one stated in a gruff voice. "It's always like that for people like him; a second chance out of the fighting ring and to a normal life." This one chuckled. "We are called cards, Usopp, Zoro is called a devil child because we found him in the ring." Usopp still couldn't understand what was being said. "Those who complete the 'sandcastle' contest are allowed to leave us for good with no consequences."

"Zoro san, like others, does not realize that if they lower their weapons before their friends are hurt or killed can leave, Zoro only has one shot now, he has to come back for his crew or else he'll be just like Sam and Jen." They both shivered before walking in silence.

Zoro couldn't stop his hands from shaking as he stared down at a few of the guards that he had instantly killed when he remembered how they turned on the music when his crew had realized how to stop his relentless killing. Now all he could think of as he tightened his grip on the last sword on his waist he turned to look at the rest of the retreating and soon dead bodies.

"You all made me kill them." He said calmly until he came to the tent where the colors should be held. " YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO STOP ME!" he directed at Ace as he pushed aside to stare at Jen and Sam.

"Their gone, Zoro." They both looked sad as they sat next to each other their weapons nowhere near them. "Are you sure you want to be here instead of burning your crew's body?"

"Their dead, all I can do now is kill the bastards who made me kill them."

"Zoro…" Jen closed her eyes standing up sadly. "then strike me down and give up, just give up on that bond of friendship." Sam didn't move as he closed his eyes and laid back on the cot Sam and Jen had been sitting on.

"You're just a devil, Zoro, but we always presumed-." Sam was silenced as Zoro yelled for him to shut up before bringing down his sword cutting through Sam's exposed stomach.

"Sam!" Jen turned hissing as the sword had gone through her stomach but she pushed herself to the hilt gripping Zoro's shoulders. "Zoro… please… just forget revenge… go to your… crew…" she dropped to the ground crying as she crawled to Sam's side as he slowly died.

Zoro stared down as his sword covered in blood and left; He'd follow her last order only because he had his revenge.

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


	11. Chapter 9

**It's almost over now**

**Forgive how short this is XD but... when I wrote it ... yeah XD  
**

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The ship looked like he left it but the bodies of his crew were not where they had died. He had also searched for his crew to bring and burn with the ship they all loved, but someone had also gotten to those bodies also.

His teeth clenched he walked to the medical room where maybe one of them carried the others to see if they could save them; but Zoro had used killing blows so it was impossible for them to live.

Slowly he walked down the halls, not missing the blood trails, and entered the Choppers doctor room. No one was there. He sighed before thinking where else his crew could have wandered before he went and headed off to the men's room where he hoped that the bodies were.

His eyes when he opened the door were assaulted with light before they became use to the dull burning red now displayed for him.

"You're lucky, Zoro." Ace's voice was low as he ran a hand through Luffy's hair. "Any closer to his heart or stomach and we wouldn't have saved him." The words took what felt like ages to imprint into Zoro's mind and register that it meant that his captain was still alive.

"He's-." Zoro's emerald eyes searched the room and spotted all the members of his crew before he gave a slight cry as he dropped to the floor leaning against the wall. "Their all alive." He didn't know what to do know but cry and plead for them for their forgiveness.

Maybe …

"Congratulations, Roronoa san." An elderly voice called out. "The contest for sand has been accepted; you and your crew have the cards total backing." Zoro spotted the three elders before they handed him a slip. "You're now a member of the Dancing Trio but you have the freedom of the pirate that you are." Zoro didn't do anything as they turned to leave.

"What do they-."

"You're free of us." Ace walked over kneeling down. "No one, not even the elders, can order you around." Ace chuckled as he looked at the crew still hanging on onto life. "Your crew is now a member of the 'Dancing Trio." Zoro's head fell to his chest before he laughed.

"All because of some stupid sand castle contest."

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**Please forgive spelling and Grammar.**


End file.
